How To: Strawberries and Cream Crepes

Merry Christmas Nibblers!

         Christmas is here and to celebrate, I wanted to share my 'Strawberries and Cream Crepes.' These are so easy to make and will please any crowd. If you're busy you can just make all the components in advanced, pop it all in the fridge a day ahead and assemble them the day of your occasion. Perfect for this festive season!

How To: Strawberry and Cream Crepes

What you'll need:
Makes 6-7 Crepes/Pancakes (23cm in diameter)
- 50g plain flour
- 2 Tbs. of caster sugar
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 drop of pink food colouring 
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
- 1/2 cup of milk (125ml)
The Filling:
- 1 punnet of Strawberries sliced into approx. 5mm wide slices(250g)
- 150g thickened cream (heavy cream)
- 1 Tbs. caster sugar
- 1tsp. vanilla essence

How To: 
Crepe batter Preparation:
1. Beat eggs, sugar, food dye, oil, vanilla essence and milk until well combined
2. Add flour and stir until incorporated
3. Sieve the crepe/pancake batter through a sift into a new bowl to rid of the lumps
4. Cover the batter mixture and leave at room temperature for 30-60 minutes
The Filling: Attend to filling component now while waiting
5. Fill a large bowl with water and ice to make an ice bath (To ensure the cream doesn't split)
6. Pop a small mixing bowl into the ice bath and add cream, sugar and vanilla then whisk until hard (about 5 minutes) then set in fridge until needed
Crepes/Pancake component
8. Lightly spray frypan (If it's a non-stick fry pan, you won't need to oil it)
9. Heat frypan on low heat
10. Using  a small ladle or 1/4 cup, mix the crepe batter and then add into the middle of the fry pan
11. Swirl the batter around the pan to the edges
12. Cover the frypan and leave for approx. 1.5 - 2 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges
13. Slide the crepe/ pancake onto a plate and repeat until the batter is finished
14. Cover the crepes/ pancake with some cling film and leave in the fridge to cool for approx. 30 minutes
15. Construct pancake - a dollop of cream in the middle of the crepe, 3-4 strawberry slices on top and then fold in the sides and fold.

          I hope you're all having a lovely Christmas! I'm so happy with the recipes I've been able to put out during this festive period despite being so busy with work. May you all have an amazing day and enjoy with your friends and family. Hope you enjoyed this recipe!

Much love,
       Merry Christmas!

                      Jo

How To: Meat Pastry Shell Pies

Hi Nibblers!

        Whenever I come home from overseas, the first thing I crave is a good old Aussie meat pie. That shortcut pastry at the base, simple beef mince filling and flaky puff pastry on top is the best. What's better is the comfort of a home-made pie and having the house smelling of baking goodness. The weather has been miserable in Sydney at the moment. It's raining and has been storming constantly. So, I decided to make my own little version of the classic meat pie to enjoy. This version is best enjoyed at the table as it can be difficult to handle. But, trust me, the cutlery use is worth it because they taste amazing. Crunchy pastry shell with saucy minced beef filling, being fancy on a budget. Hope you enjoy this #CountdownToChristmas Recipe!

How To: Meat Pastry Shell Pies

Yields 10 large pies and 12 mini pies
What you'll need:
- 6 ready made puff pastry sheets
- 500g of minced beef
- 1 Tbs mixed herbs
- 2 Tbs. cornflour with 1 TBs. water to form a paste
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 medium sized onions (diced)
- 250mL beef stock
- 70mL of thickened cream
- 3 eggs separated into yolk (egg wash) / white
- 2 Tbs. curry powder (optional - if you want a twist on your pies. It tastes amazing)
- Circle cookie cutters (Doesn't matter what size as long as one of the circle cutters is larger than the other. I used a large lid from my peanut butter jar)

How To:

Don't chuck the left over pastry,
mould it into something new

1. Cook diced onions in a large saucepan on a medium heat until light brown
2. Add minced meat to saucepan and keep stirring to separate the mince and cook for about 5 minutes or until brown
3. Add stock, salt, cream, egg whites, herbs and stir until well incorporated
       Note: If you would like curry flavoured mince, add curry powder to mince and stir until well combined. I did half a traditional mince and half curry filling
4. Add cornflour paste to saucepan and wait until meat boils then, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes until think and leave to cool.

Pastry Shells ready to go!

The pastry shell recipe was inspired by Food Wishes Recipe Video. Click the link to see how Chef John made his pastry shells. I found it messier to egg wash the whole pastry sheet so, decided to only egg wash after cutting out the shapes.
5. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celcius or 400 degrees Farenheit
6. For each pastry shell, cut two larger circles and one smaller circle from puff pastry sheet
7. Place one of the large circles cut outs on a lined baking tray, brush with egg wash, then place`another large circle cut out directly on top of the first cut out. Brush again with egg wash then place the smaller circular cut out in the centre of the first two stacked cut outs. Brush again with egg wash to ensure a perfect golden brown.
8. Repeat steps 7-8 until you've used all puff pastry sheets (should produce 10 pastry shells)

I did half curry and traditional mince

9. Place pastry shells into oven for 20-25 minutes or until brown then leave to cool
10. Reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees Celcius or 350 degrees Farenheit
11. With remaining puff pastry scraps from cut out, mould together into a ball and roll into a log about 30cm long
12. Divide log into 12 equal pieces and using your fingers (or rolling pin) stretch pastry until it fits into a greased 12 mould muffin tin
13. Place about 1 and a half Tbs. of mince filling into each mould
14. Brush egg wash onto the corners of each pastry mould and pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown
15. Reheat remaining mince in saucepan until warmed evenly through
16. Cut a lid for each pastry shell then spoon in minced filling (Fits about 4 Tbs. in each pie) then enjoy!

Pastry Shells cooling

Cut the top to make a lid

Then fill it with mince

           It may look a tad complicated in words but trust me, it's super easy! They taste great on their own or with a it of sauce. I couldn't help consuming a few of these pies after I had finished taking photos of them. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take pictures of the mini pies but, if you head to my 'Mini Quiche' recipe, they turned out quite similar visually.
           The larger pies are best eaten as soon as they're made so you can make the shells in advanced, but don't fill them until you want to eat them. As for the mini pies, I left mine in the fridge and reheated them for a quick breakfast whenever I was on the go. I also love these pastry shells because they're so versatile and you can put anything you want in them. Hope you enjoyed this recipe and leave a comment below if you try this recipe out!

Nibble Away,

            Jo

How To: Ginger Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Hey Nibblers!

           I haven't had many gingerbread cookies in my life. It was never love at first taste for me. I love the way the cookies are decorated but, never craved the ginger goodness. But with Christmas only 27 days away, I suddenly had a craving for a gingerbread cookie. So, instead of heading to a bakery for my fix I thought I would make my own twist on the classic gingerbread cookie with the only way I know how, in cupcake form. I love how these cupcakes turned out. The ginger flavour is pungent and ties in nicely with the the cream cheese frosting to give a sweet, sour and tangy taste all in one bite.

How To:  Ginger Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Yields 12-14 cupcakes
What you'll need:
Ginger Cupcake component:
- 230g of self raising flour (sifted)
- 100g butter softened to room temp
- 150g of raw brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbs. ginger powder
- 3 tsp. vanilla essence
- 250mL of milk
- 2 tsp. baking powder

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 200g softened cream cheese
- 3 Tbs. of orange juice
- 1/4 cup of mixed dried fruit

How To:

The perfect rise

Ginger Cupcake:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius / 350 degrees Farenheit
2. Line cupcake tin with patty pans / grease tin
3. Beat butter and sugar together until well incorporated
4. Add eggs and mix
5. Add vanilla essence, baking powder and mix
6. Add about half flour and milk and mix until well combined
7. Repeat step 6
8. Beat for a further 2 minutes to ensure all ingredients are fused well together
9. Divide batter into lined cupcake tin
10. Pop into the oven for 16-18 minutes or until cooked (check using the toothpick method at 16 minutes)
11. Let cupcakes cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting!

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Ready

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Beat cream cheese until it becomes creamier in texture (about 5 minutes)
2. Add orange juice and beat until well combined
3. Add mixed fruit and beat until well incorporated
4. Spoon a tsp. or two on top of eat cupcake then consume!
         Note: If you feel the frosting is too liquified for your taste, beat in a Tbs. of icing sugar until your preferred consistency or alternatively, refrigerate frosting for 5-10 minutes before serving to ensure the frosting holds its shape

          Hope you enjoyed this #CountdownToChristmas recipe. After the success of these cupcakes, I officially have an appreciation for ginger. They have converted me to the ginger loving society. My parents were skeptical at first but, have asked for me to remake these again which means they can covert the toughest of the crowds. If you do give these a try, be sure to comment below as I would love to hear your thoughts!

Nibble Away,
       
               Jo.

How To: Mini Quiche

Hi Nibblers!

         I still remember the first time I ever made quiche. It was in my food technology class in high school. I had never tasted quiche nor knew how to pronounce it properly. Since that lesson, I have made the recipe over and over again until I quiche-d out! Until one day, Mum came home with a home-made quiche her friend had prepared earlier. It was the best quiche I had ever tasted so I decided to recreate it. I love how this recipe turned out. It's a little bit different as I added ingredients that I enjoyed but, that's the fun with quiche. You can make it your own and still be able to please the crowd. These mini quiches will be a great nibble and a lovely addition to my #CountdownToChristmas series.

How To: Mini Quiche

Yields approximately 48 mini quiches
      Note: You can make quiches in advanced and freeze them until needed. Just freeze unbaked quiches in cupcake tin to hold their shape. Remove from the tin and store them in a tightly sealed bag to minimise storage space.
What you'll need:
- 1 Tbs. mixed herbs

Stretch pastry moulds

- 300 mL thickened cream
- 200g sliced olives
- 50mL milk
- 6 eggs
- Egg yolks (for pastry egg wash - 1 yolk per dozen quiches)
- 100g wilted spinach
- 1 diced small capsicum
- 200g diced bacon (substitute for whichever poultry you prefer i.e. roast beef)
- 100g diced ham (substitute for whichever poultry you prefer i.e. shredded chicken)
- 150g grated cheddar cheese
- 6 x puff pastry sheets (each sheet is sliced into 9 squares)

How To:

Filled pastry cups

1. Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees Celcius / 300 degrees Farenheit (fan-forced in applicable)
2. Grease cupcake tin with oil spray to stop pastry from sticking
3. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl
4. Add herbs, cream, olives, milk, spinach, bacon, ham and cheese to eggs and mix until well combined then set aside
5. Grab a 1 x 9 square of puff pastry and stretch edges until they fit into cupcake tin
6. Repeat step 5 until all cupcake tin is filled
7. Fill each pastry square mould with about 1 and a half Tbs. of filling - about 3/4 way up each mould until finished
8. Brush a bit of egg wash on the corners of each quiche
9. Pop into the oven for 30 minutes
10. Leave to cool for 5-10minutes before nibbling away!

        This recipe is so easy to make and tastes delicious. As I said earlier, you can add whatever you like. Diced carrots, zucchini, corn kernels or mushrooms, you name it.  If you feel like there's too many ingredients and not enough saucy goodness, add a splash of milk and an egg! It won't change anything apart from yielding a larger portion of mini quiches so, have a few extra puff pastry sheets handy. Hope you enjoyed this recipe and be sure to leave a comment below if you've tried this recipe out or about your best quiche experience.

Nibble Away,
         
              Jo

How To: Fairy Cupcakes

Hey Nibblers!

         Nothing makes me happier than the sight of fairy bread at a party. Yeah sure I'm an adult now but, who can resist? It reminds me of the days I was a kid. For those that are not familiar with this little piece of awesome it's a slice of heavenly white bread smeared with butter and sprinkled with 100s & 1000s and cut into four triangles. Sounds simple but, this Aussie delicacy will be sending you bananas for more. My next #CountdownToChristmas recipe will be my spin on this food classic. So without further adieu, I present to you ...

How To: Fairy Cupcakes

What you'll need: 
Fairy Cupcake:
- 100g unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 200g of 100s & 1000s (150g for cake batter and 50g for sprinkling before baking)
- 2 eggs
- 3 tsp. vanilla essence
- 1 cup of sugar or 200g of sugar
- 220g of sifted self-raising flour (or plain flour with a pinch of salt)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup of milk or 250mL of milk
For pink coffee cream frosting:
- 5 tsp. instant coffee
- 2 tsp. boiling water
- 3 Tbl. of milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 100g sifted icing sugar
- 250g unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 3 drops of pink food colouring

How To:
Yields approximately 12-15 medium sized cupcakes
Fairy Cupcake:
1. Line cupcake tin with patty pans or spray with oil
2. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius or 350 degrees Farenheit
3. Beat butter and sugar until well combined
4. Add eggs and beat
5. Add vanilla essence, baking powder, milk and flour and mix until well incorporated
6. Fold 150g of 100s & 1000s into the batter
7. Divide evenly into patty pans (about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up)
8. Sprinkle a pinch of 100s &1000s from remaining 50g onto each cupcake
9. Pop into the oven for about 16-18 minutes, checking with a toothpick to see if it's cooked (toothpick should come out clean)
10. Let cupcakes cool down for about 15 minutes before frosting

Pink Coffee frosting:
1. Mix instant coffee with water until well combined then set aside to cool
2. Beat butter until it becomes a pale, off white colour (takes at least 10 minutes, the paler, the better)
3. Mix vanilla essence and milk into butter
4. Add icing sugar and mix until well incorporated
5. Add coffee into butter cream
6. Add pink colouring into butter cream and mix until well combined
7. Beat for an extra five minutes to ensure all ingredients have moulded together
    Note: If you wanted thicker buttercream texture, slowly add icing sugar until desired texture.
              If you wanted thinner buttercream, add 1 Tbs. of milk until desired texture
8. Decorate cupcakes!
   

           The #CountdownToChristmas is getting so real! About six weeks away and shopping centres are already crowded. Hope you enjoy this fun Fairy Cupcake recipe. Remember to comment below or tag me @nibblejo_x if you make these. OR better yet, why not try making Fairy Bread if you haven't tried it? It'll be a life changer.

Nibble Away,
            Jo

How To: Bánh Patê Sô (Vietnamese Pastry Pie)

Hey Nibblers!

           Christmas is coming! Stress levels may be raging this time of year but, it's my favourite time of year. I love it for the food, the lights, the buzz and being able to sit down and relax with family. To celebrate, I wanted to post as many finger-licking recipes as possible for the #CountdownToChristmas!!
          This first recipe is one of my all time favourite things to make for a party or as a road trip snack. They're easy to make, so many different variations to choose from and always a crowd pleaser. 'Patê Sô' or also known as 'Pate Chaud' are French inspired and traditionally consisted of a pork filling with a flaky pastry exterior. They can be found in many Vietnamese bakeries and chicken and beef fillings are now also widely used. My aunty makes banging Patê Sô but, I've since adopted my own version and twisted it Nibble Nation style.

How To: Bánh Patê Sô

Yields approx. 90-108 Patê Sô pieces for every kilo of mince meat

Recipe below will yield approx. 54 Patê Sô pieces as I'm only using 500g of mince. Just double content if you want a larger yield. 

What you will need: 

Pastry sheet cut into 9 squares

- 6 sheets of ready to use puff pastry (You'll need at least 10-12 sheets if you're using a kilo of mince.)
- 500g of chicken mince (any other mince (pork, beef etc.) will work well)
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbs. garlic salt
- Approx. 420g of corn kernels and peas (canned or frozen. If canned, drain excess juices)
- 1 1/2 large onions, diced (The more onions, the more moist the mince comes out)
- 2 tsp. pepper
- 3 egg yolks (One egg yolk can wash about 20 Patê Sô pieces so all depends on how many you want to bake in one go)

How To:

Marinated mince

1. Mix chicken mince, soy sauce, garlic salt, pepper, diced onions, corn kernels and peas together until well combined and then set aside to marinate for at least and hour
2. Leave puff pastry sheets to defrost for about an hour before use to make it more pliable
3. Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees Celcius or 300 degrees Farenheit fan-forced about 30 minutes before baking
4. Cut puff pastry sheet into 9 relatively equal square pieces
5. Add one heaped tsp. of marinated mince into the middle of the puff pastry square
6. Fold diagonal corners together to form a triangle and press firmly to ensure pastry is sealed on all sides
7. Using a fork, decorate edges to create grooves for visual purposes (optional)
8. Repeat steps 4-7 until pastry/ marinated mince is used up
             Note: you can make Patê Sô pieces in advanced and freeze them until you need them. No need to defrost, just give them a quick egg-wash, pop them into the oven and they're as good as a fresh batch.
9. Break adequate amount of egg yolks to wash over pastry to achieve the amazing golden brown colour (Use those egg whites for some healthy scrambled eggs or a mousse.)
10. Pop into the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and enjoy!

One heaped tsp. into the centre of each square

Seal those corners by pressing firmly

Decorate the triangle Patê Sô

Egg washed and ready for baking!

Eat me!

         These taste amazing and I can't help but gobble a few when they're piping hot. I also love that I can make these in advanced and bake them whenever I need them. So, when I know I have guests coming over or a party coming up and know I'll be stuck at work, I just make a bunch in bulk a week ahead and bake them for when I need it. People will definitely woo over them and think you got down and dirty to make these.
         Hope you enjoyed the first recipe of my #CountdownToChristmas series! Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions or if you have tried this recipe out for yourself.

Nibble Away,
          Jo

How To: Maltesers Cupcakes

Hey Nibblers!


            I've been wanting to put this recipe up for so long! With university nearing its end, time has just been slipping out of my fingers. Three more weeks and I'll have to start fending for myself in the real world!
            This has been my go-to recipe lately. It's easy and doesn't require any sort piping skill. I'm also loving the feedback that they're receiving from my family and friends. Even Kevin who isn't keen on sweets, gives it the tick of approval. So with the festive season coming up, this just might be the recipe for you.

Maltesers Cupcakes
Yields 12-14 medium cupcakes

What you will need: Cupcake base

- 1 cup or 180g self-raising flour (plain flour will work just add a pinch of salt)
- 2 tsp. of baking powder
- 1/2 cup or 80g of cocoa powder
- 50g butter (softened to room temperature)
- 3/4 cup or 150g of sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup or 250ml of milk
- 3/4 tsp.  of vanilla essence
Maltesers Buttercream:
- 400g Maltesers Chocolate (For decoration/buttercream purposes oh and for snacking in between!)
- 250g of unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 100g icing sugar (sifted)
- 2 Tbs. of milk
- 2 tsp. of vanilla essence 

How To: Cupcake Base

Malteser Cupcake base - Surprise crunch!

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius or 360 degrees Farenheit (fan-forced preferably)

2. Line tin with cupcake patty pans

3. Sift together flour, baking powder and cocoa in a medium mixing bowl then set aside

4. Beat together the softened butter and white sugar in a large mixing bowl until well combined and fluffy (approx. 3 minutes)
5. Add eggs in one at a time and mix into butter/sugar component 

6. Add vanilla essence to wet ingredients and mix

7. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients and 1/2 of the milk into the wet mixture and mix

8. Repeat step 7 until all ingredients are all combined

9. Spoon about 3 Tbs. of the cupcake mixture evenly into each of the lined patty pans about 1/2 - 3/4 way up
10. Add  3 x Maltesers into each patty pan 

11. Pop into the oven for about 15-18 minutes checking with a skewer at the end to see if it's cooked (depending on your oven - I checked mine at 15 minutes and they were cooked)

12. Rest the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes before popping the Maltesers cream on

How To: Maltesers Buttercream

Crushed Maltesers 

1. Crush about 200g of the Maltesers Chocolates into chunky pieces then set aside (I used a bowl and pestle but, a food processor or using a knife and cutting the chocolates into rough 1/4 pieces would work)
2. Beat softened butter on high for 5-7 minutes until the yellow butter turns to a creamy - off white colour
3. Add and mix milk and vanilla essence until well combined
4. Add sifted icing sugar and beat for 5 minutes until well incorporated
5. Mix crushed Maltesers into the buttercream
6. Spread the Maltesers cream onto cupcakes (I just used a butter knife and spread about 1-2 Tbs. on each cupcake)
7. Pop 1 x Malteser onto the centre of each cupcake and nibble away!

           Let me know if you give this lovely recipe a go. I'm always on Instagram so if you ever wanted to share a recipe or picture just tag me @nibblejo_x. These cupcakes are great for their simplicity and the crunchy Maltesers cream with the moist chocolate cupcake base is heaven. Hope you enjoyed this post!

Nibble Away,
          Jo

'The Pie Tin' Review

Hey Nibblers!

         Oh, the good humble pie. Shared with great company and there's nothing in the world that you could ever ask for. Tucked away behind the bustle of King St, Newtown is one of the best places I've been. Despite being hidden away, it draws quite the crowd so don't be too hopeful for seating if you're thinking of going during peak hours. Great for a small gathering of 2-4 friends if you're lucky enough to grab a table as you can share the different sides and pies with each other
         'The Pie Tin' offers an amazing selection of sweet and savoury pies that are made fresh in store each day. Service is quick and friendly and side portions are so generous. It's a real bang in your buck.

'The Pie Tin'
Where: 1a Brown St, Newtown, Sydney                                  Website: http://www.thepietin.com.au/

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Pie and drink selections/ prices can be found on their website

Inside 'The Pie Tin'

             I ordered the 'Sicilian style chilli lovers sausage with white bean' with a side of 'Kumera' chips (Sweet Potato Chips). My foodies in crime Thao and Jacky ordered the 'Sweet roasted duck with seasonal vegetables' with a side of 'coleslaw' and 'potato salad' and the 'Slow roasted shredded pork with apple and bbq sauce' with a side of 'chips.' We also ordered the 'Whipped lime pie' and 'Snickers Pie' to share. All up it was $55.60 for the five pies and sides so great value for the gourmet quality.

'Sicilian style chilli lovers sausage with white bean' with a side of 'Kumera' chips (Sweet Potato Chips)

          There's self-serve sauces, napkins, cutlery and water which makes it a relaxed home-like atmosphere. My pie came out piping hot. The pie lid was flaky and had absorbed the spicy tomato based sauce filling. There's so much flavour packed in the filling that I don't think you need any extra accompanying sauces. There were visible sausage pieces in my pie so you can really see the ingredients that are going in. I only had a spoonful of Thao & Jacky's pies but, from their feedback, they definitely enjoyed their experience.

'Sweet roasted duck with seasonal vegetables' with a side of 'coleslaw' and 'potato salad

'Slow roasted shredded pork with apple and BBQ sauce' with a side of 'chips'

         In terms of sides, the 'Kumera' chips were crisp and perfectly seasoned. They fried our batch fresh so it really enhanced our experience. The normal potato fries were equally appetising. Great seasoning and really fluffy inside. If you're a fan of 'Potato' and 'Coleslaw' salads, you'll definitely like the ones at 'The Pie Tin.' Both are packed with flavours and taste extremely fresh.
        By this stage, we were all pretty stuffed but, we still had two dessert pie slices to pig through. The 'Whipped Lime Pie' was light and full of zesty flavour. The fruity flavour was great in countering the intense flavours from the savoury pies. Great for sharing and with a spot of tea because after about 5 spoonfuls, I was sugar overloaded.

'Whipped Lime Pie'

       The 'Snickers' Pie was sensational. Again, I would of loved it with some tea but, the peanut-caramel flavour was on point. Creamy and with peanut chunks in the mix, it's definitely one for the sweet tooth lovers. Melt-in-you-mouth goodness.

'Snickers' Pie

       I loved my experience at 'The Pie Tin' and would gladly go again and introduce it to anyone else. Portions are so generous that next time, sharing one side is enough if you want to do the whole sweet and salty taste test. Leave a comment down below with your favourite pie place or what your favourite pie filling is!

Nibble Away,

          Jo

How To: Mancakes (Father's Day Special)

Hey Nibblers!

           Father's Day is just around the corner for those of us in the land down under (Sunday September 7th to be exact). My Dad is so hard to buy for. He spoils himself with things he wants so I never have the chance to swoop in. I've also reached the age where handmade 'I Love Dad' cards are never completed due to time constraints so instead, I've turned to homemade breakfast instead.
           Pancakes are one of my favourite breakfast treats. They're easy to make and so versatile because you can enjoy them sweet or savoury. My inspiration for my 'Mancakes' came from my lovely cousin, Kelly. Back when we were in London together, she made me pancakes with bacon bits and a fried egg in the middle. It was the perfect combination of flavours and textures. So, with her in mind, I created my own version that would guarantee Dad's approval.

How To: Mancakes

Made some Mancakes with a side of Pancakes

yields 6-8 mancakes depending on the size of your frypan and preference Mancake size
What you'll need:
Cake batter:
- 1 cup or 150g of plain flour
- 1 cup or 250mL of milk
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 1 egg
- 25g melted butter
Man batter:
- 200g of minced beef (or whatever you prefer)
- 100g of diced bacon (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbs. mixed herbs
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional - for spice)

How To: Mancakes

Pancakes cooking away

1. Mix 'Man batter' i.e. minced beef, salt, mixed herbs, bacon and cayenne pepper then set aside
2. Sift baking powder, flour and sugar into a bowl, make a well in the centre then set aside
3. Mix lemon juice, milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla essence until well incorporated
4. Add wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients bowl and stir until it becomes a runny paste with no lumps then set aside in a jug
5. Heat frypan to medium heat then fry off 'Man batter' mixture by constantly coating to ensure the minced beef breaks apart into small clusters then leave to cool for 10 minutes
6. Add cooked 'Man batter' into 'Cake batter' and stir
7. Re-heat saucepan to low to medium heat and pour Mancake batter into the centre
             Note: if you wanted to be more fancy, crack an egg into the frypan first before adding batter to make a complete breakfast. Just be wary that flipping the pancake is more challenging due to its weight. End process will taste great but it might not look as pretty and circular. It's the thought that counts though, right?
8. Cook one side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown before flipping to the other side and repeating the cooking process
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you've finished the batter
10. Enjoy!

Ultimate Mancake. I forgot to take a picture of the end result
due to the state it was in. But man, was it delicious!

      I love how simple these were to make and took about half an hour all up. They tasted great and it's a nice twist on the classic pancake. If the 'Mancake' isn't your type of thing, simply ignore the 'Man batter' component and enjoy the pancakes on their own. It's quick and they tasted deliciously fluffy. You will definitely be in Dad's good books for the day.
     Hope you enjoyed this post and let me know in the comments below if you've given this a try!

Mancakes with maple syrup because why not? 

Happy (early) Father's Day to those Dads out there,
Nibble Away,

             Jo.

Travel Nibbles: 'Ha Oanh' Review

Hi Nibblers!

        The travel nibbles are back and this time, I'm posting about Vietnam.
        It's been a while since I've visited Vietnam. A lot has changed in the five years. There's more commercial chain stores around the world popping up in Saigon that, it's difficult to find an authentic food stall. Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty great street food stalls around on the sidewalks to eat. However, due to my poor immune system I've signed a food poisoning sentence that has me limited in my choices.
         I walked into 'Cho Ben Thanh,' Saigon's most famous market with a mission. I knew cooked foods were more unlikely to set me up. I had an extreme craving for Vietnamese clear dumplings with prawns and pork (Banh Bot Loc) drizzled with fish sauce. It is available in Sydney but, difficult to access and can be quite expensive unless you order in bulk / time consuming to make. There were several stores that sold them in the markets but, they sold other different Vietnamese dishes as well which meant that the food may not be as fresh. As Mum and I were circling the food stalls, we found a place called 'Ha Oanh' that served dishes of Banh Bot Loc and Banh Beo (steamed rice flour cakes). There were not only tourists eating but also locals so it was a sign that we had to try this out.

'Ha Oanh'
Where: Cho Ben Thanh, 'Food Court' right near Gate 7 

         If we didn't see people eating at 'Ha Oanh' it would be extremely easy to miss as theres no large sign displaying its name. I can't give direct locations of the stall as Cho Ben Thanh is quite large but if you head over to were theres a 'food court' / food stall type of area, it should be where you can see Gate 7 sign.
         Service was quick and you can either take away or have there. Mum and I had our plates there as there was available seating. The rice flour cakes and clear dumplings were made in front of us so it was nice to see how things were made and their efficient system.

Open Kitchen

       

Small signage of store name 'Ha Oanh' drink prices

         

             Mum and I ate their standard mixed plate that consisted of Banh Bot Loc and Banh Beo together sprinkled with fried breadcrumbs and fish sauce. Each plate was priced at 17,000 VND which is approx. ($0.85 AUD as of July/August 2014) which is a total bargain! Add in fresh coconut juice for 20,000 VND ($1 AUD) and there's lunch done for less than $2 AUD.
            Mum makes Banh Beo at home so if she says these steamed rice cakes were good, it means they're good. They were small in size but had great chewy texture and mixed in with the slightly sweet, salty fish sauce it was an explosion in my mouth. Add the chives oil, a few slices of salty Vietnamese pork loaf (Cha Lua) and breadcrumbs, it had every element you could ask for.

Banh Bot Loc and Banh Beo drenched in fish sauce with Cha Lua and fried breadcrumbs. 17,000 VND

         The Banh Bot Loc was small but the overall portions of the plates was good for Vietnamese usual standards. There wasn't any prawns in the dumplings and the meat inside was more the fat layer of the pork rather than the meat, it was still satisfying. Having a combined plate of Banh Bot Loc and Banh Beo added different dimensions to the plate. While the Banh Beo rice cake was a softer texture, the Banh Bot Loc batter was more dense and the flavour was enhanced by the braised meat inside.
         I loved everything about this place and didn't suffer hours after. It may be difficult to eat if you haven't had anything like this before. The flavours of the fish sauce are intense and slightly spicy so beware if your spice tolerance is low. Give it a try / share a plate with a friend if you're unsure. I can guarantee you'll be wanting more. But if you're wanting authentic Vietnamese Banh Bot Loc and Banh Beo in Saigon, this is the place to go. Definitely found a hidden gem here.
         If you ever find yourself in Vietnam and give this a go, let me know in the comments below! OR what's your hidden gem place?

Nibble Away,
            Jo
P.s. Mum and I went back for seconds #sorrynotsorry